The Hourglass
by SaikoCho
Summary: Who wouldn't be happy if someone were to appear in your life and tell you they would grant your every wish? Or something pretty close to it... Li Syaoran finds himself with what can be described as Djinn that takes the form of a young woman named Sakura.
1. The Broken Hourglass

**AN**: My first CCS fanfiction. I hope you all enjoy the first chapter :D

**Synopsis**: Who wouldn't be happy if someone were to appear in your life and tell you they would grant your every wish? Or something pretty close to it... Li Syaoran finds himself with what can be described as Djinn that takes the form of a young woman named Sakura. She's determined to help him realize his heart's desire and will grant his every desire, but that doesn't mean Syaoran's a believer. What would you do if a nutter appeared in your home and asked to take care of you? It doesn't help matters when Sakura reveals that she's not exactly the best Djinn there ever was. Either way, Syaoran finds he must pay a price for every wish granted, whether he wants it or not.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura.

* * *

**The Hourglass**

_The Broken Hourglass_

* * *

_"It falls right through your fingers."_

_There was a light breeze playing and the sun was sinking passed the horizon, casting rays of orange, red, and pink across the sky. It was like a photograph and it gave a feeling of warmth. It would have been relaxing if it weren't for the constant flickering of scenes that interrupted the peaceful vision._

_"—you can't--"_

Where was that voice coming from?

_"Please!"_

_Everything changed abruptly and pained cries were echoing throughout the vicinity. Shadows towered by menacingly, eliminating all comfort that could have been offered from what little light there was. The atmosphere was heavy with tension and desperation._

_"It's breaking!"_

_"Syao--"_

* * *

"_--ran_!" 

Li Syaoran jolted upright in his bed, his entire body covered in a cold sweat. He grimaced as he brought a hand to his sweating forehead and ran it through his damp hair. The wifebeater he wore clung to him like a second skin and he threw off the covers in an effort to alleviate some of the heat. He bent his knees and placed his face in his hands as he wondered what had brought him out of his dream so abruptly. Or had it been a nightmare? He couldn't remember.

He slowly let his hands fall from his face as his brows furrowed in concentration.

What had he been dreaming about?

Just as he began to recall bits and pieces and form a comprehensible picture, the door to his room swung open. The force was so great it rebounded against the wall and nearly slammed back close on the intruder.

"Rise and shine!" Syaoran barely had time to react before the curtains were pulled apart and filled his darkened room with light.

He did little to hide his discomfort as a few well chosen curses were uttered. His visitor took little notice of his displeasure and instead proceeded to lunge at him and bring him into a tight hug.

"I missed you, Syaoran!" Suddenly his visitor pulled back slightly and had Syaoran been able to see her face, he would have seen her wrinkle her nose in slight disgust. "But you need a shower."

"Meilin." Syaoran recognized his visitor once his eyes were adjusted to the lighting. Despite the fact that he acknowledged her presence with a stunned expression, she beamed at him and hugged him tightly. Syaoran didn't reciprocate the hug, mostly because he didn't have enough air in his lungs let alone the energy to hug back. "Why-"

"Why do you need a shower?" Meilin interrupted incredulously. "I think that's obvious. Or do you mean why did I miss you?"

"No, that's not-"

"You left so quickly! Barely a month since you were home before you flew back here! Don't you want to spend time with your family?" Meilin looked at him with wide eyes. "You spent a whole year here and you'll be here for another year--your last year of high school. Don't you miss home? Won't it be lonely-"

"Meilin!" Syaoran said sharply, putting an abrupt stop to her incessant questions. He gently, but firmly removed her grip from his waist and swung his legs over to the side of his bed. "Why are you _here_?"

She took a step back as he stood up, his tall, muscular frame towered over her, almost menacingly as he radiated irritation from her unexpected visit. She pursed her lips together, not to be intimidated and tilted her chin up to look him in the eye.

"I'm going to stay with you."

There was a long suffering moan as Syaoran's stance gave into to his exasperation and he flopped back down on the side of his bed, his face in his hands. Meilin watched him, nonplussed as he let out a sigh.

"Not this again."

"What?" She sounded indignant and Syaoran winced as her voice took on an octave higher. "Don't you want me to be here with you?"

"No, Meilin. This has nothing to do with what I want. This is about what _you_ want." He said shortly as he pulled his hands away from his face and looked up at her. "Did you even get permission to come?"

"I don't need permission." She sniffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I can take care of myself-"

"That's great." Syaoran smiled at her disarmingly, causing her to return the smile hesitantly. However, his next words had her gritting her teeth in anger. "Then I won't have to worry once I get you a ticket back to Hong Kong."

"I'll have you know that your mother asked me personally to come here." Meilin snapped, nearly stomping her foot on the ground in frustration. A single eyebrow arched in suspicion.

"Did she?"

Hearing the doubt creep into his voice, Meilin had the last straw and turned to him with anger burning in her eyes.

"Of course she did! Why would I lie about that?" She all but shouted. "Is that what you think of me? Some silly, irrational girl that will just flippantly give into the whim to just see you out of the blue without reason? I-"

"Stop." Syaoran said quietly, but it was his hand grasping her wrist that held her words back. "I'm sorry, you're right. However, that doesn't explain why you didn't call, or how you got in."

"Your mother gave me the key an-and I wanted to... surprise you." Meilin said quietly, the last of her words barely above a whisper.

"Congratulations." Syaoran grunted as he stood up once again, releasing his grip on Meilin's wrist and causing her to back pedal in order to avoid colliding into him. "Surprise me you did. Now, care to explain what brought on this unexpected visit?"

Syaoran ran a hand through his sleep tussled hair, holding back a yawn as he made his way to the bathroom in order to comply with Meilin's earlier suggestion.

"I told you." Meilin said in irritation. "Your mother sent me."

At that, Syaoran halted in his steps.

"Ah, it's nothing bad." Meilin felt the corners of her mouth turn upward as she could see him visibly relaxing at her reassurance. "It's not really important--"

"Then why did you come all the way to Japan if it's _not that important_." Syaoran asked sharply, his back still turned to her.

"It was just a precaution." Meilin told him, pausing before she added on quietly, "And I wanted to see you."

For a long moment nothing was said.

"Syao--" Meilin tried to break the silence, but Syaoran was already moving, continuing on his way to the bathroom.

"I'm taking a shower." With that he disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door.

Meilin stared at the closed door, a frown gracing her lips as she tightened her grip on the messenger bag that hung limply at her side.

* * *

Syaoran emerged from the bathroom, fresh and clean and still toweling his hair half-heartedly. He was greeted by a mouth-watering scent that seeped into every corner of his apartment and lured him out into the living room. From his vantage point he could see into the kitchen as well as the back of his cousin who had dawned on an apron and was currently hard at work at the stove. The apron was adorned with flowers and a bright shade of pink and orange, a gift from one of his sisters to use once he had gotten to Japan. 

"Syaoran!" Meilin noticed his presence as she glanced over her shoulder and nodded her head to the table just beyond the counter. "I made breakfast!"

"You didn't have to." Syaoran said with a hint of regret as he recalled his earlier actions. He walked over to the small table and felt his guilt grow at the spread before him.

"Eat." Meilin commanded as she removed the handkerchief from her hair and set the apron down on the counter before joining him at the table. "You're not going to make all my hard work go to waste, are you?"

Syaoran grunted and took a seat as he picked up a pair of chopsticks. Meilin beamed at him before picking up her own pair. Just as she brought a clump of rice to her lips, Syaoran muttered the usual Japanese expression one used before eating, causing Meilin to nearly drop her chopsticks as she stuttered the same expression soon after him. Her face burned at her near mistake, but Syaoran gave no indication that he had caught her slip.

"What is it?"

For a second time before she had barely started her meal, Meilin had almost dropped her chopsticks. She looked up at Syaoran, bewildered.

"What is what?"

"What you came here for."

"Oh, right." Meilin quickly recovered and placed her eating utensils over her bowl of rice and leaned over to the side to retrieve her bag.

"Your mother wanted to give you something but she was worried that something might happen to it so I volunteered to deliver it." Meilin explained as she placed the messenger bag on her lap and pulled out contents at random. A small compact mirror, lip gloss, and her wallet were the first items to be removed. She glanced up at Syaoran to find him staring at her with his piercing gaze as she failed to retrieve the desired item. She quickly looked away, tensing as she stopped pulling items from her bag and merely rummaged around. She bit her bottom lip, continuing to feel his stare as she hurried in her search. Since when had her bag become so big--

"A-ha!" Meilin brandished a box that was just an inch or two short of a foot and placed it on the table. It was rectangular in shape and the box itself was elegantly decorated with Chinese symbols as well as large circular picture on the cover that had a combination of a sun and crescent moon as well as a diamond overlapping the two. She placed it on the table next to her plate.

"She sent you overseas to deliver a box to me?" Syaoran asked flatly as Meilin presented the item on the table.

"Yes." Meilin said with equal enthusiasm in her voice, irritated by his lack of interest and gratitude. "You're welcome, by the way."

He frowned.

"I didn't ask you to come--"

"I know you didn't, but it was going to get to you either way." Meilin pursed her lips together, then looked thoughtful as her gaze slid to the box. "I wonder what's in it."

"You don't even know?" He asked incredulously. "What exactly has she told you?"

"Other than the fact that she wanted this delivered to you? Nothing." Meilin frowned. "What? Did you expect me to go snooping around a package entrusted to me by your own mother?"

"No." Syaoran snapped in irritation. "I expected her to relay some sort of impertinent information through you to explain why it was so important."

"Well, why don't you open it to get those answers?" Meilin asked him, her own temper rising. "Maybe it's something for your eyes alone!"

"Then she should have called me." Syaoran mumbled under his breath as he took a large gulp of water.

"What was that?" Meilin asked sharply.

"I said maybe you're right." Syaoran said in a louder voice, knowing better to antagonize his cousin. "And you _are_ right, thank you for coming all this way. I appreciate it, Meilin."

The moment those words left his mouth, Meilin's irritation melted into delight as her expression brightened. Syaoran took little notice as he piled his dishes and headed to the kitchen to place them in the sink. He briefly rinsed them with water before drying his hands on the dish rag nearby and headed back to the dining area to the box that remained at Meilin's side. He placed a finger to run over the lid, dipping into every groove carved in its surface to create its elegant designs before sliding his fingers over to one side. He curled them over the edges, lifting the cover and placing it on the table. Meilin gasped.

Inside laid the most ornately decorated hourglass he had ever laid eyes on. It had three legs consisting of thorny vines tightly compacted together, twisted into a mass so tangled that Syaoran momentarily felt his lungs constrict at the detailed support of the hourglass. It was a few inches short of a foot, made of mahogany wood with two different designs on the top and bottom. The top design consisted of a crescent moon that was overlapped by a diamond shape. The bottom had the design of what he guessed to be the sun in balance with the moon. However beautifully decorated the hourglass was, he found something odd as he continued to stare into the box.

"Aren't you going to take it out?" Meilin asked when he remained still.

Breaking out of his trance, Syaoran glanced at her briefly before reaching into the box. His fingers brushed against the gold colored silk that lined the inside of the box to keep its precious cargo safe. Savoring the feel of the soft, cool fabric against his skin, he gently pulled the hourglass from its niche and set it on the table.

There was a beat of silence before Syaoran realized what had been bothering him. Meilin voiced his thoughts the moment it struck her.

"It's stuck." Meilin said. Indeed, there was the absence of movement of sand from one bulb to another. The top bulb was filled with sand as white as freshly fallen snow, giving reason for Syaoran to believe that it was powdered marble rather than actual sand. It seemed that gravity was failing to do its job as the sand continued to remain suspended over the narrow passage that lead to the bottom compartment.

Syaoran reached over and tilted the hourglass this way and that in an attempt to ease the sand down the passage. He only succeeded in shifting the substance around in the top bulb. Meilin reached over and flicked the bulb lightly, but to no avail. Looks were exchanged before Syaoran placed the hourglass back onto the table. Meilin placed a finger onto the top of the hourglass, tapping it lightly.

"Why would she send you a broken hourglass?" Meilin asked, musing to herself rather than expecting an actual answer from Syaoran.

He grunted. How was he supposed to know? He was ready to voice his thought out loud when he caught sight of a clock nearby. He cursed under his breath before heading back to his room. Meilin didn't notice his sudden change in behavior, her hand still tapping against the hourglass in thought. It wasn't until she caught sight of him in his school uniform putting on his shoes at the front door did she realize that he was leaving.

"Where are you going?" She asked in bewilderment. "School's not for another month--"

"We have to prepare for the festival." Syaoran said shortly as he adjusted his shoe.

"Oh." Meilin looked momentarily disappointed, but then her expression brightened. "I'll come too! I can help--"

"Aren't you going back home soon?"

"N-not for a few days." Meilin was taken aback by his question, although it sounded more like an accusation. Syaoran straightened up, his back towards her as he reached for the door's handle.

"Everyone back home is expecting you to bring back something, aren't they?" Syaoran pulled open the door, casting a look over his shoulder. "Especially my sisters. You should take the time to shop. It'd be boring for you to come with me anyway. It's not like there's anything you can really help with."

The door closed.

Long after Syaoran had gone, Meilin continued to stand there. The hand that had been tapping against the hourglass now curled around it as the other that hovered over her bag trembled.

* * *

It was nearly sunset when Syaoran finally arrived back at his apartment. He threw his shoes aside carelessly as the door slid shut behind him. He squinted his eyes into the darkened room, finding the only illumination came from the dying rays of the sun streaming from the sliding door. The rays reflected off the glass shape that still sat on the table just as he had left it that morning. He unbuttoned the collar of his uniform with a sigh, switching on the lights as he surveyed the room.

"Meilin?" He called out as he headed towards his bedroom, pulling off his coat completely as he changed into something more comfortable.

He emerged from his room, looking down the hallway. There had been no answer to his call. He ran a hand through his hair and headed toward the living room. Perhaps Meilin was still out shopping? He glanced around all the table tops and other easy to see surfaces for some sort of note, but there was nothing. He frowned, but he knew Meilin was more than capable of taking care of herself.

Reaching the kitchen, he pulled out a glass and filled it with water before heading out towards the balcony. He pulled open the sliding door and screen door before stepping out onto the cool concrete floor. Leaning over the balcony with his cup dangling over the edge, he swayed in gently from side to side as he watched the last of the suns rays slip out of sight, color fading from the sky to give way to the evening. He took a long drink from his glass, nearly draining it. Once he pulled it away from his lips, he let out a long sigh, turning around to lean back, his elbows hanging over the side of the railing. His eyes were half-lidded as he surveyed his apartment, a light breeze ruffling his hair.

The hourglass was the first thing to catch his eye, It was an enigma, sitting there on his table and completely out of place in his minimally furnished apartment. He had given it little thought after he had left that morning, but now that he was back home and once again faced with the mystery of why his mother had sent such a trinket to him began to unnerve him. What was so important about a broken hourglass?

Syaoran sighed as he trudged back into the apartment, shutting only the screen door to allow the cool evening breeze in before heading into the kitchen. He decided it would be best to start dinner so that it would be ready by the time Meilin came back, which he guessed would be soon.

It took only half an hour to prepare a simple meal as he laid out the dishes, enough for two (and foregoing the apron Meilin had worn this morning). He cleaned up what utensils he had used in an attempt to stall, but sooner than he wanted he was sitting at the small dining table alone.

Ten minutes passed. The food was getting cold.

Twenty minutes had passed. He began to play with his rice, using his chopsticks to grab a single grain and balanced it on the rim of his bowl.

Half an hour gave him enough time to create an array of expressions using pickled vegetables on his rice.

An hour later and Syaoran was washing his dishes. Meilin's food continued to sit on the table, completely untouched and ice cold. His irritation was apparent as he roughly shoved his dishes into the drying rack. Without a second glance, he stomped over to his bathroom to pull out his dirty laundry before heading over to the washing machine, stuffing clothes into it at random. He slammed the lid shut with more force that necessary before jabbing and twisting the knobs violently. It wouldn't be until later would he realize he had forgotten to add the laundry detergent.

It was more than apparent that Meilin's continued absence was the source of his irritation as he roughly grabbed her plates and wrapped them up almost carelessly. As he shoved them into the refrigerator, he pulled out a bottle of tea and slumped down onto the couch in the main room. He placed one foot on his coffee table, nearly knocking the hourglass he had placed there earlier onto the ground. He nearly choked on his drink as he lunged to grab the object, steadying it back on the table.

He frowned. Apparently, it was still broken.

He leaned over his knees and scooted towards the edge of the couch as he held the hourglass over his lap for closer inspection. The top bulb remained full, the lower one completely devoid of even a grain of sand. He glanced over at the narrow passage that connected the two bulbs, but found nothing to be seen that would block the sand's path. Was the sand near the bottom hardened?

He leaned back, his eyes briefly leaving the hourglass as he caught sight of the time on a digital clock he had placed on top of his television that sat against the wall opposite of his couch. His anger resurfaced, once again reminded of Meilin's absence.

_The least she could do is call_--

There was a tinkling sound of glass being struck, just moments before the phone began to ring. Syaoran nearly dropped the hourglass, looking down at it in amazement, before looking sharply over at the phone. Unsure of what to do, he slowly placed the hourglass back onto the table before making his way over to the phone. Sand fell like a dusty waterfall, the sound muffled once the bottom had been completely filled in the lower bulb. He glanced at it one last time before focusing his attention back to the phone, his hand hovering over the receiver.

It continued to ring several more times and just as he made the decision to pick up the phone, the machine picked up.

"_You have reached Li Syaoran. I can't answer the phone at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep."_

"_Hi, Syaoran, it's me, Meilin._" Syaoran's hand twitched over the receiver.

"_I know it's late, I'm sorry for not calling sooner. I'm just calling to tell you I'm fine--"_

"Meilin." Syaoran had managed to move, the receiver now at his ear.

"_Syaoran?_"

"Where are you?"

"_I'm at the hotel--"_

"Hotel?" Syaoran asked incredulously. "Why are you at a hotel?"

"_This is where I'm staying. I didn't know when you were coming back--_"

"Why didn't you leave a note?" Syaoran asked angrily. Then his voice softened. "Why are you staying at a hotel?"

"_I didn't want to bother you_."

"Meilin." Syaoran frowned. "You know you're not a bother. You're always welcomed here."

"_I know._" There was a hesitance in her voice. "_I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't get in your way, besides, I like hotels. They treat me like a princess._"

Meilin laughed lightly, but Syaoran continued to frown.

"You're all right?"

"_Yes. Yes, I'm fine._"

There was a short pause as Syaoran mentally sighed. His cousin put him through a lot of worry for nothing.

"_Syaoran?_"

"What?" Syaoran immediately regretted the unintended harshness that crept into his tone when Meilin hesitated to continue.

"_I... um... are you,"_ Meilin stumbled over her words. "_Are you busy tomorrow too?_"

"Yes."

"_Oh, okay._" Meilin was unable to hide her disappointment. She caught her slip at once and forced a cheery tone. "_Well, then I'll talk to you later--_"

"I have time for lunch."

"_Wh-what_?"

"Let's have lunch tomorrow, Meilin." Syaoran said firmly.

"_O-okay!"_ There was a definite tone of elation that brought a smile to Syaoran's lips. "_I'll see you tomorrow!_"

Syaoran bid her goodbye before hanging up, his energy leaving as soon as the phone left his hand. Suddenly, he felt so tired.

He looked back over at the coffee table, remembering the hourglass and found that sand continued to flow from one bulb to the other. Exhaustion seemed to sweep through him by merely looking at the hourglass as he made his way back over to the couch. After only a few steps, he felt himself swaying unsteadily on his feet, causing him to blink in confusion.

He barely made it to the couch, resting one knee on the cushion before his whole body collapsed, one arm hanging limply over the side as his face was buried into the seat. He turned his head sideways, his eyes focusing on the hourglass one last time before he succumb to his exhaustion.

* * *

"What are you doing?!" 

"He'll be uncomfortable sleeping like that."

"What does that have to do with--"

Syaoran's eyes clenched shut more tightly, as if that would block out the offending voices that rose him from his slumber.

_Wait... voices... ?_

Syaoran's eyes snapped open at once. There should have been no voices in his apartment.

He was greeted with the sight of a young woman staring down at him. Her green eyes seemed to brighten at the sight of his own amber ones. A cherry blossom hair ornament dangled over her left ear, decorating her short auburn hair save for two wisps that framed her face and hung passed her shoulders. Syaoran had a lot of odd dreams in his lifetime, but never had they involved such a woman staring down at him, nor did they involve a yellow splotch of color hovering just outside of his vision like a blind spot one gets from staring at the sun.

"Good morning." She said brightly, her breath brushing against his face and making him realize just how close she was. He gaped at her, unable to form a single coherent sentence, the situation too absurd to process through his mind.

"I'll help you realize your heart's desire." She said with little preamble.

Syaoran could only stare at her.

She smiled, tilting her head to the side. "Please let me take care of you!"

Syaoran immediately bolted upright, forgetting about her close proximity (or actually becoming all too aware of it) and slammed his forehead against hers.

And that's when everything went to hell.

* * *

**Chapter 2 Preview** _(Tentative)_

"All right." Syaoran said slowly. "Let's say I bite--"

Her eyes widened.

"--and believe your story." Syaoran leaned over the table, his forearms pressing into the wood as it supported his weight so he could tower over the young woman. "You're telling me you can grant my every wish?"

"Yes and no." She answered, her eyes still wide. "May I ask you a question before we continue?"

He grunted noncommitally, fully intent on finding out what she meant by 'yes and no.'

"Why must you bite me to believe me?"

"It's an expression." He sighed in exasperation. "It means that I'll take your story; hook, line and sinker."

"What?" She looked utterly confused.

"I believe you." He said flatly.

She smiled, but then it faltered.

"You didn't believe me before?"

"No. Yes. I mean, no." Syaoran nearly growled at the array of emotions crossing the young woman's face as he gave into the urge to run a hand through his touseled hair. "I'm not saying I believe, I'm just saying that for the sake of _moving along_ that I _do_ believe your story."


	2. Twice Awakening

**AN (Author's Note)**: I really need to crack down on my studying, but this is actually a bit of stress reliever for me. Anyway, I may be able to crank out one more chapter before my life really starts to get hectic, but until then I thank all of you who were kind enough to take the time to read my story _and_ leave a review. I love reviews; they really help to inspire me :) And please feel free to e-mail me, I love making new friends :D So for those who took out the time to leave me a review, here's a little shout out to all of you!

**Thank you ** to **xCarCrashHeartx** at mediaminer dot org, you were the first to review my story and you really helped encourage me :) At first I thought my story was a big flop because there was no response, but then you popped up and helped make my day :) thank you so much! **Chica De Los Ojos Cafe**, thank you, you were the first to review my story on FF dot net and I really appreciated it! Although it was a bit surprising that you enjoyed my story upon seeing your profile :D **jennycuenca**, thank you for not only reviewing my story, but also for putting it on story alert showing how much you must be interested in my writing so far :D **dark mirth**, thank you as well for your review and putting my story on your alert list! Thank you for also commenting on my writing, I'm glad you think so :D **niichoco**, thank you so much for not only reviewing and putting my story on your alert list, but also putting it on your favorites list when it's only on the first chapter! Oh, and I loved the faces you made :3 **YumYumXP**, thank you for reviewing and putting my story on your favorites list when it's only the first chapter! I'm glad you think my story is different and that it has potential!

Also thank you to everyone who put this story on their favorites list when it's only the first chapter (!) to **animallover5** and to those who put this story on your alert list, thank you to **EvilDunkin-Sama, Hurts 2 b hurt by 1's u luv., Midnight Stone, Miharu-Chan05, Princess Silverstar, animallover5, anjuliet, dark mirth, jennycuenca, niichoco, xXx Let.Me.Go xXx**. I hope this chapter continues to engage your interest and maybe even encourages you to leave a(nother) review! Enjoy :)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Card Captor Sakura.

* * *

_Syaoran's eyes snapped open at once. There should have been no voices in his apartment._

_He was greeted with the sight of a young woman staring down at him. Her green eyes seemed to brighten at the sight of his own amber ones. A cherry blossom hair ornament dangled over her left ear, decorating her short auburn hair save for two wisps that framed her face and hung passed her shoulders. Syaoran had a lot of odd dreams in his lifetime, but never had they involved such a woman staring down at him, nor did they involve a yellow splotch of color hovering just outside of his vision like a blind spot one gets from staring at the sun._

_"Good morning." She said brightly, her breath brushing against his face and making him realize just how close she was. He gaped at her, unable to form a single coherent sentence, the situation too absurd to process through his mind._

_"I'll help you realize your heart's desire." She said with little preamble._

_Syaoran could only stare at her._

_She smiled, tilting her head to the side. "Please let me take care of you!"_

_Syaoran immediately bolted upright, forgetting about her close proximity (or actually becoming all too aware of it) and slammed his forehead against hers._

_And that's when everything went to hell.  
_

* * *

**The Hourglass **

_Twice Awakening_

_

* * *

_

A string of curses left Syaoran's mouth as he clutched a hand to his throbbing forehead. It felt as if he had slammed into a concrete wall instead of someone's head. There was a strange sound at his side, quickly reminding him of his intruder. He took in a ragged breath, forcing open one eye to locate the source of the sound and found the young woman whimpering, both hands covering her forehead as tears prickled at the corners of her eyes.

"Hoe..."

"Are you okay?"

Syaoran started at the Osakan accent that seemed to come somewhere above his head. He looked up and blanched, finding only what he could describe as a _stuffed animal_ with wings hovering just inches from his side. It had immediately descended towards the young woman, placing a small paw over her hands with an expression of concern.

_Expression?_ Syaoran thought in disbelief. _It's a piece of yellow fluff-- _

"Hey, kid!" The Osakan accent that had been full of gentleness and concern immediately turned rough. Syaoran managed to open both of his eyes and realized the voice was originating from the flying ball of fluff. He also found that it was _talking_ to _him_. "What's your problem?"

The _stuffed doll_ was asking him _what his problem **was**_?

"Kero-chan, I'm okay. It's my fault, I surprised him--" His gaze snapped over to the young woman who was now on her knees at his side, both her hands still covering the bump that was no doubtedly forming beneath . She smiled hesitantly.

"So that gives him the right to head butt you?" The stuffed animal sounded outraged.

Syaoran let his hands slip to his sides, scrambling away from the young woman and the stuffed animal to the far end of the couch, his eyes wide. His forehead was now throbbing dully, but it was bearable enough to ignore and give him a chance to fully examine the scene before him.

The young woman looked no older than a teenager, probably the same age. The only odd thing, aside from the fact that she was in his apartment, was the clothing she wore. It resembled a Shenyi, a long full body garment. She wore a thick, silver colored sash around her waist, the garment slitted on either side of her body and stopped just above her ankles. The garment was a pale color of blue and was decorated with red thread weaving into intricate designs of flowers and petals that seemed to have fallen from a tree and merely fused to her clothing. She wore long pants beneath it that were only visible by the slits, tightening near her ankles. Her feet were encased in Han embroidered shoes. She looked as if she had walked out of the Han Dynasty and he was almost opted to believe that was indeed the case if it weren't for her feet that were not bound and the color of her eyes.

That was, of course, that he could assume that it was s_he. _Syaoran stared hard at the intruder, his eyes narrowing. Despite the fact that he had first assumed that this was a woman by her body language and voice, her clothes gave off a definite masculine quality. The face was definitely feminine and the ornament was unmistakable but--

--There had been a lot of _traps_ around as of late. Syaoran grimaced as he recalled the horror stories his classmates had passed onto him after their many trips to Harajuku. It had been a disaster for them, but quite a bit of entertainment for many of the others who were within earshot.

"Are you all right?"

Syaoran snapped out of his thoughts, finding himself face to face with the questionable presence in his apartment and nearly fell off the couch. The intruder was kneeling at his side, staring at him with wide eyes, a noticeable red bump on her forehead.

His first instinct was to give an affirmation in order to keep from being touched, but soon reality kicked in and his fear turned to anger.

"What the hell is going on?" The young woman, he assumed, looked startled at his angry outburst. His eyes darted to the stuffed animal hovering over her shoulder. "How did you get in here? Who are you? And what the hell is that _thing_?"

"_Thing?!_" The _Thing_ growled out in outrage,

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She said quickly, looking flustered. "I know you must be very confused, but please calm down--"

"_Calm down_? _You broke into my apartment_!"

"Yes." She smiled at him hesitantly. "Yes, I'm sure it looks that way--"

"Get out." Syaoran said shortly, realizing that should have been the first thing to leave his mouth.

"W-wait." She stuttered in her haste. "Please don't be angry, I'm sorry I hit your forehead--"

"_He_ hit _your_ forehead." The _Thing_ told her before turning to direct his next words to him. "And we ain't going anywhere so just sit down and listen."

"_Get out_!" Syaoran roared, causing both the intruder and _Thing_ to move away in surprise. Without another word, Syaoran promptly grabbed the young girl by her arm and hauled her to her feet. She cried out in surprise, but put up little struggle as she was man handled over to the door, the yellow fluff ball snarling around his head the entire time.

"Get her hands off her, you snot-nosed brat!"

Syaoran said nothing as he yanked open the front door before unceremoniously shoving the young woman out of his apartment. She stumbled and tripped over her own two feet and landed on her side at the foot of his door, her hair ornament falling to the ground with a soft clatter. _Thing_ flew out after her, hovering over her with a mixture of concern and anger. Without so much as a goodbye, for why should he bid goodbye to a possible thief, he shut the door, nearly slamming it against her feet as he did so.

Syaoran didn't realize his breath coming in short pants, his heart racing, until the door had shut and the sound of angry, muffled curses resounded through the cracks of his doorway. Syaoran turned quickly from the door, distancing himself from the voices and constant reminder of what had just taken place. He was still in disbelief, but the sooner he was far from the source of the bizarre events, the sooner it would all go away.

Or so he hoped.

Syaoran had reached the living room in a few long, swift strides, intending to get ready for the day ahead, when he caught sight of the view outside of his sliding door.

It was pitch black.

The crescent moon that hung low with a few stars dotting the evening sky as the only sources of illumination. Hadn't it been morning? His eyes darted around his room in search of a clock, finding the same one he had seen earlier that afternoon.

3:11 AM.

Oh, yes, it was morning indeed.

Groaning, he bent over, slumping onto the first surface he met, which was the back of his couch. He made a fist and pounded the cushion. Why on earth did this have to happen at such an ungodly hour?

More muffled curses drifted into his ears.

Of course, because it was an ungodly occurrence.

_Whatever_, Syaoran thought wearily as he turned to the light switch for the den in the hallway. _I'm positive they'll be gone by morning._

His hand reached over to the light switch.

He heard the voices more clearly as he moved back into the hallway.

"_...all like..." _

_"No! This brat..."_

He grit his teeth together. He had an inkling that they weren't going to leave.

"_--snot-nosed... stick up his..." _

_"Hoe!" _

It took only a few seconds for him to yank the door open.

"Shut it!" Syaoran nearly shouted, silencing the two.

"You don't tell me what to do, brat!" The stuffed animal snarled, nearly nose to nose with him once he had gotten over his initial surprise at Syaoran's outburst.

Syaoran narrowed his eyes. It a moment his hand had wrapped around _Thing_'s body, giving it a firm squeeze. He smiled in satisfaction when a yelp escaped the creature, but it soon fell to his own yelp of pain as it immediately bit down on his hand with little restraint. Cursing aloud, he let go, attempting to shake _Thing_ off, but to no avail. In fact, he could of sworn that a sneer made its way onto _Thing_'s face before it sunk its fangs right through his skin. He let out another yelp of pain, ready to slam it against the wall.

"Stop!"

Syaoran had forgotten about _Thing'_s companion momentarily and was knocked off his feet, air leaving his lungs quickly as he was tackled to the ground. Even _Thing_ had seemed to have forgotten her presence and let go of Syaoran's hand in surprise, watching as they both tumbled to the ground, then smirking in satisfaction as the door, no longer held back, swung closed and hit his left leg. Syaoran grunted as he was assaulted with new injuries, staring up in a daze at the ceiling.

"Please don't hurt him!" Soon her face filled his vision, wisps of auburn hair brushing against his face lightly.

"For now." Syaoran said shortly, the pain ebbing away. "Now, would you kindly _get off_?"

"Ho... hoe!" She let out her strange exclamation and quickly scrambled off, allowing him to pull his legs back from the doorway so that the door could close. He sat up, pulling the hand _Thing_ had bitten into view, scowling as two thin streams of blood flowed down his palm, dropping onto his leg and staining his pants.

"Serves you right." _Thing_ said in a lazy voice as it floated by his head. Syaoran promptly lifted up his hand and grabbed it by it's wings, immobilizing it at once. "Hey!"

He increased the pressure on _Thing'_s wings, silencing him momentarily.

Syaoran looked up at the girl standing with her back to his front door. She looked down at him, fidgeting with her sleeves as her eyes darted between her companion and his own angry gaze.

"Um... um..." She floundered for her words, trembling under his piercing gaze. "I'm so--"

"Were you planning to stay outside my door all night?"

"Um... Well..." She tugged at her sleeves. "I...it..."

Syaoran stared at her hard, causing the young woman to take a step back, but she had barely any room to even lean back, let alone take another step. She hit her back against the hard wood door first before smacking her head soon after. She let out a cry of pain, stumbling to the side only to give herself another bump as the side of her head hit the wall next to her.

The display, pathetic as it was, was enough to stem off Syaoran's inquiries momentarily as he sighed, dropping _Thing_ , that had been struggling during the whole exchange onto the ground with a loud thump. He stood up, putting them both on alert, but he merely turned and headed down the hallway and disappeared around the corner and into the kitchen. He opened one of the cupboards and pulled out a pot, turning one of the knobs on the stove to the highest setting before filling the pot with water. He set it down on the stove before moving to another cupboard to pull out a package of crushes leaves and two mugs.

If there had been a strange woman and a _Thing_ in the entrance of your apartment, you would think he'd be a little more wary. However, he was merely exasperated by the whole ordeal and now that he was over his initial shock and the fact that this wasn't a dream (as the throbbing wound on his hand reminded him. That _Thing_ wasn't poisonous, was it?) made things extremely complicated. Of course, sleep would be the last thing on his mind.

Once the water was sufficiently heated, he proceeded to make two mugs of tea. He turned off the stove and turned to carry the two mugs out only to find the young woman staring at him around the corner timidly. The moment their eyes met, she let out a gasp disappeared from sight. The yellow piece of fluff, however, merely hovered near the spot she had been, glaring at him fiercely. Syaoran returned the sentiments as he headed to the small dining table, setting one mug down in front of an empty chair before taking the one opposite of it. He inhaled the scent of the tea, urging his body to relax before bringing the hot liquid to his lips and down his throat, warming his entire body. He sighed.

Slowly, he opened one eye to find her standing in the hallway, the stuffed animal hovering over her protectively. He closed his eye and took another sip.

"You're tea is getting cold." He said shortly without giving her a second glance.

For a long moment he heard nothing and continued to focus on his tea. It was probably not the smartest move to make with an unpredictable girl in his midst and her possibly rabid _Thing_ in his apartment--

His eyes opened at the sound of the chair moving across the floor. She had taken a seat but made no move to touch the tea.

"I didn't poison it." Syaoran said after another beat of silence.

"And how do we know that for sure?" _Thing_ sneered as it hovered over the mug, leaning over to give it a good sniff before wrinkling its nose and turning away.

"Then don't drink it." He bit out.

The young woman glanced at _Thing_ momentarily, her lips moving as if to say something, but she closed her mouth and turned to look at him then to the steaming mug before her. She pressed her lips together before her hands reached out to the mug. Her eyes darted to his just before she touched the mug, as if asking for permission. Syaoran merely closed his eyes and took another sip. He missed the constant glances as she hesitantly wrapped her fingers around the mug and slowly brought it to her lips.

"It's delicious." He opened his eyes once again.

"_Sakura_!" _Thing_ was obviously displeased by her actions.

"Thank you." She said quietly, smiling at him warmly, ignoring _Thing_'s words. He watched her with a narrowed gaze as she took another sip, almost glowing from the warmth it seemed to spread throughout her body.

"So," She looked up at the sound of his voice, momentarily startled. He eyed her closely as his earlier thoughts resurfaced. "What are you?"

He knew his question was rude, but he was a tad short on manners, as well as patience, as anyone else would be in his situation.

"Oh... oh!" Her smile immediately brightened and she placed her cup down. "I'm a djinn!"

"A... what?" Of all the responses he expected, this one hadn't even come close. In fact, he hadn't expected her to give such a clear cut answer at all. Although, it actually brought more questions rather than clearing things up.

"A djinn." She repeated, her hesitance seemed to have completely dissipated at his sudden 'interest' and willingness to listen (although that may be a bit exaggerated if you were to ask him). "I'll help you realize your heart's desire--"

"I know." He cut in, his patience running thin. "You said that."

"Yeah, but if you let her finish, you'd get your answer, brat." _Thing_ said under his breath and Syaoran shot him a dark look. He stuck on his tongue as he descended down to his companion's mug.

"Yes. I'll grant any wish you desire in order to help you." She told him with another smile.

"All... right." Syaoran stared at her over his mug. "Then what is that _thing_."

_"You want to start something--_"

"His name is Cerberus." She said quickly in hopes of avoiding another fight. "He's my guardian and guide."

"Guardian?" Syaoran repeated slowly.

She nodded.

"I've never heard of a djinn needing a guardian. Or a guide." He snorted.

"Oh?" The stuffed animal, that was supposedly named Cerberus, drawled. "And how many have you met?"

There was a beat of silence. Syaoran stood up, sliding his chair back.

"Leave."

"Hoe?!"

"If we're going to go through this every time we try to explain something to you, this is going to take all night."

Syaoran looked over at the talking stuffed animal., his patience never stretched any thinner. It was all he could do to keep himself from strangling its furry little neck. Losing his temper to a stuffed animal of all things--

"Please don't be angry!" Syaoran's gaze returned to the girl sitting before him. Her eyes were wide and she was once against fiddling with her sleeves. "We're telling the truth. Please believe me."

Syaoran couldn't help but stare as her voice took on a note of sincerity. He slowly eased back into his seat, his eyes narrowing. He had to admit, the flying stuffed animal was a trick far more complex than he had ever encountered and he had no idea what this girl would gain from him by trying to fool him with such an extravagant act.

"All right." Syaoran said slowly. "Let's say I bite--"

Her eyes widened.

"--and believe your story." Syaoran leaned over the table, his forearms pressing into the wood as it supported his weight so he could tower over the young woman. "You're telling me you can grant my every wish?"

"Yes and no." She answered, her eyes still wide, but her voice took on a tone of delight at his 'acceptance.' "May I ask you a question before we continue?"

He grunted noncommittally, fully intent on finding out what she meant by 'yes and no.'

"What must you bite to believe me?"

"It's an expression." He sighed in exasperation. "It means that I'll take your story; hook, line and sinker."

"Oh." She said as if she had a complete understanding, but it was obvious that she was still confused.

"I believe you." He said flatly.

She smiled, but then it faltered.

"You didn't believe me before?" She frowned. "I thought you just said--"

"No. Yes. I mean, no." Syaoran nearly growled at the array of emotions crossing the young woman's face as he gave into the urge to run a hand through his tousled hair. "I'm not saying I believe you, I'm just saying that for the sake of _moving along_ that I _do_ believe your story."

"Give up, Sakura. He's brain is obviously too tiny to comprehend the truth." The stuffed animal said, staring intently at the steaming liquid. She seemed to take the hint and carefully tilted the mug so he could take a sip. He licked his chops as she pulled the mug away. "But he does make a good cup of tea, poisoned or not."

"I'm flattered." Syaoran grounded out sarcastically, earning a smile dripping with sugar from the yellow fluff ball. He turned to the young woman. "All right, _djinn_, grant me a wish."

"Hoe?" She blinked. "R-right now?"

"Yes. Right now." Syaoran ran a finger along the rim of his mug, his eyes never leaving hers. "I wish--"

"W-wait--" She began to protest. Syaoran couldn't help but smirk, his hand stilling against his mug. Had he already ruined her little game?

"--for an apple." He finished simply.

He leaned back in self-satisfaction. The young woman could only stare at him as her companion looked up at him in disbelief, then let his own smirk work its way onto his face. When he caught sight of this, he arched a brow, his smirk faltering in the slightest, but upon seeing the perturbed look on the young woman's face, he quickly regained his cocky expression. Her game was about to be over in a few seconds and he would be able to put an end to her charade--

"As you wish."

Syaoran blinked in surprise when she stood up, her eyes shut tightly before making her way to the kitchen. The moment she took her first step, Syaoran felt a great weight on his chest. His breath left him in a great rush as his body became heavy and a wave of exhaustion swept over him. Unable to keep himself upright, he swung his arms, nearly knocking his mug over as he grasped the edge of the table, pulling himself forward to lean on his forearms heavily. He closed his eyes, his body swaying in the slightest as his head move closer to the table.

He actually felt the slight brush of air of the apple being set on the table before he managed to force his eyes open to see the red object before him. He blinked slowly. Somehow, despite the fact that his mind was fuzzy and his vision blurring from his exhaustion, he noticed something rather familiar about the apple...

"You got that from the kitchen." He sounded almost outraged.

"I did." She affirmed.

"How did you--that's not..." Syaoran was quite sure that there was no way she could of known there had been a stash of apples hidden in the back of his refrigerator, but then again any idiot would have thought to check his kitchen, right? _He_ was the idiot for making such a simple request--

"I would like to ask," She began quietly, her voice quivering and gaining his full attention. "That you reframe from making such silly wishes."

"It serves him right." The stuffed animal snorted. She shot him a look and he said no more.

He was only mildly interested in the fact that his wish seemed to cause her great discomfort, but not enough to actually inquire to why she would make such a request. If she were a _djinn_ that was here to grant his every wish, which he still doubted, wouldn't it be easier for her to grant him 'silly' simple wishes?

He had just about enough of her act.

"I wish you'd leave." Syaoran mumbled, once again standing on his feet. He lifted his hand to rub at his tired eyes.

"As you wish."

The moment those words left her lips, Syaoran felt another wave of exhaustion hit him, sending him to his knees. He managed to catch one hand on the table to keep from collapsing onto the ground, but his grip was weak and soon he was on his side, feeling as if all his energy had been taken from him. He squeezed his eyes shut, his jaw tightening as he slowly pushed himself to his knees, reaching up blindly to catch the table once again to pull himself onto his feet. His consciousness leaving him quickly, Syaoran struggled to prop himself onto is forearms, lifting his head in the slightest, but it felt as if he were moving through sand and slowly being sucked under.

The last thing he saw was the back of the stranger as she headed towards the front door without so much as a backward glance.

* * *

Syaoran awoke in the same manner he had earlier. A pair of luminous green eyes were staring down at him and his eyes were once again drawn to the cherry blossom ornament hanging down near her ear. For a moment he thought that things were going to repeat themselves and she would greet him in the same manner as she had before. However, he was not greeted with a smile as he returned to reality. Instead, her brows furrowed together and her lips turned down into a frown.

"I do not want to remind you to stop making foolish wishes." She told him quietly. She reached toward his face and, unable to stop, he flinched. Her hand stilled and her frown became a sad smile, but then her hand continued towards his face and he felt something cool being removed from his forehead. She had removed a wash cloth from his damp forehead and turned to dip it into a shallow bowl, wringing it out once before moving to wipe his face. He grudgingly admitted to himself that her gentle ministrations were helpful in soothing the dull throbbing behind his eyes that he became all too aware of from the moment he regained consciousness.

"Yo, brat." _It_ was still here. "Finally awake, are you?"

"Is this some never ending nightmare?" Syaoran mumbled. His impromptu nurse's frown returned and the stuffed animal bore it's fangs into a mocking grin.

"No, but if that's what you _want--_"

"Kero-chan!" 'Kero's grin faltered and he slowly floated away, pouting.

"I'm just saying--" Another stern look and Kero was silent.

"What happened?" Syaoran asked in a daze, pushing her hand and the wash cloth away as he struggled to sit up. She immediately came to his aide, but he once again waved off her offer, managing to support himself. She moved away in response to his actions, catching the hint that he did not want her help.

"You made a wish--"

"Yeah. The apple." Syaoran narrowed his eyes at her as he recalled the earlier events. "I remember."

"Yes, there was that." She placatingly agreed. "You also made another wish before you fainted."

He stiffened at the term she used, but he ignored it in order to satisfy his curiosity.

"Another wish?"

"Yes." She confirmed with a nod and small smile. "You wished for me to leave."

"All right." He said slowly, frowning. "Apparently that wish didn't work very well, did it?"

Ignoring his biting sarcasm, she shook her head. "No, it did. I left."

"But?"

"I came back."

"Right. Obviously." Syaoran resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was nowhere closer to believing her story than he had been before. It seemed that they both sensed his skepticism.

"If you really want me to go," She began softly, her hands once again fidgeting with her sleeves. "You should wish that I stay away forever."

"I see." Syaoran said shortly as he raised a hand to his face, rubbing his temples in an attempt to soothe the dull pounding against his skull. "I'll do just that."

She said nothing in response, but her hands stilled. Syaoran took no notice as he stumbled to his feet. He _did_ notice when she shot up to her own feet, hovering near him in an almost protective manner. He glanced over at her to find her green eyes wide with concern. He looked away with a short shake of his head and made his way to the kitchen. She made no attempt to actually help him, but he could feel her presence following at his heels as he managed to locate a bottle of aspirin in one of his cabinets. She stayed at the entrance to the kitchen, hesitant to come any closer as he filled a glass cup of water. Popping two pills into his mouth, he took a large gulp of water and placed the glass onto the counter before turning to her. She tensed up, predicting the next words that would come from his mouth.

"All right."

She closed her eyes, her hands tightening into fists at her sides, hidden within the sleeves of her outfit.

"Who are you?"

She nearly stumbled at his unexpected question, jerking her head up to find his amber gaze boring into her. She shivered and stumbled back, her left foot twisting behind her right and sending her crashing onto the floor. She whimpered at the pain that jolted from her rump up her spine.

"A-ah. Always the klutz." Kero said with a tut. Syaoran ignored him as he approached the young woman, but even as she looked up at him in surprise he made no move to help her up. Instead, he crouched down to her level, his eyes narrowing.

"_Who are you_?" He repeated quietly.

Her mouth seemed to go dry and her throat constricted, but somehow she managed to answer his question.

"Sakura."

A smirk cracked his stern countenance as he stretched his hand out to her. She flinched as he moved his hand to her face, but he merely brushed his fingers against the cherry blossom ornament in her hair.

"Of course." He said. "That would be your name, wouldn't it?"

She continued to look at him, bewildered. Kero, however, descended upon them, his disapproval of Syaoran's close proximity to his charge apparent as his growls increased in volume. Ignoring him, Syaoran continued.

"Is that all?"

Sakura blinked at him, then slowly shook her head.

"No." She said quietly. "There are other things I must explain, such as the price--"

"No, that's not what I meant." He said in irritation, but her words struck him with a cold chill running down his spine. "The what?"

"The price for your wishes." She explained. "As well as the rules and conditions."

"Price?" Syaoran repeated, his eyes widening at the sudden realization. "Then... earlier... I had..."

Unable to complete his sentence, Kero chose that moment to help Syaoran, just this once.

"That's right, brat."

Both Syaoran and Sakura were startled to find Kero hovering at their side. It was only Syaoran, however, who felt the bottom of his stomach drop when Kero flashed him a menacing grin.

"Wishes don't come _free_."

* * *

**Additional AN**: Before you go further in the story, there are a few twists and turns that will be revealed in later chapters, so for now there will be a few things left in the dark. Second of all, if you're expecting romance right off the bat, you're sadly mistaken. I might throw in a few bits here and there for the first few chapters because I'm a romantic at heart--however, you need to remember that Syaoran found a strange girl inside his apartment at three in the morning--oh yeah, that's a winner that you'd fall head over heels for, right? I think you'd be more than a little freaked out, especially when she spouts off crazy things like 'I'll take care of you and grant you're every wish.' Crazy, much? Haha. That and the story's rating might go up, but it won't be too explicit.

Any questions, comments, criticism, etc. you want to send my way? Please feel free to e-mail or review me right here, I'll be more than happy to respond to you as soon as I can. Your support is much appreciated :) I hope you enjoyed my story!

* * *

**Chapter 3 Preview **(_Tentative_)

"How do you know Li-kun?" He asked her kindly.

"He helped me." She smiled up at him brightly. "He is a very important person to me, I would do anything to make him happy."

There was a long beat of silence. Syaoran wanted nothing more than to shove his hand into the nearest blender, or perhaps shove _her hand_ instead. If it had been anyone, _anyone else_, he wouldn't have cared, but no. It had to be _him_, of all people.

"That's quite a surprise." Syaoran didn't have to turn around to recognize that cold and familiar voice. The one that _always_ managed to rub him the wrong way.


End file.
